3 more cases of Legionnaires' disease confirmed in Hopkins

HOPKINS, Minn. - The Minnesota Department of Health says the outbreak of Legionnaires' disease in Hopkins has grown to 23 cases.

Health officials say three more cases were confirmed between Wednesday and Friday.

All of the cases involve people who live, work or spent time in Hopkins, a Minneapolis suburb. One person has died.

Legionnaires' disease is a bacterial infection that people get from inhaling contaminated mist or vapor. Officials say the pattern of where people were likely exposed is consistent with a cooling tower, but interviews have not identified a specific location.

Seven locations with cooling towers have been identified as possible sources. Samples have been collected from those towers. But officials point out that cooling towers are not regulated in Minnesota, so there is no registry or master list of towers.